Abstract
Taking into consideration the gradually widespread use of the internet, children are thought to be an important group both in terms of the time they spend on the internet and the dangers they will be exposed to in the virtual world. Internet addiction is essentially a type of behavioral addiction, characterized by a certain behavioral pattern, which is confronted with both physical, psychological, and social consequences. The research aims to establish a correlation between children's addiction to computer games with the cyber violence that they may be exposed to base on this addiction. For this reason, this study is a systematic review that aims to examine the effects of computer addiction as a subtype of internet addiction, which is a type of behavioral addiction, on children and its relationship with cyber violence. The research significantly contributes to the literature by revealing the effects of COVID-19 on children's addiction to computer games and the correlation of children's addiction to computer games with cyber violence.
TopResearch Methodology
This research is a systematic review that aims to examine the effects of internet and computer games addiction, which are two types of behavioral addictions, on children as well as the relationship of COVID-19 pandemic with these addictions in addition to the effects of cyber violence. EconLit, Google Scholar and EBSCHO databases were reviewed for the purpose of the study. Different publications on the subject were accessed by reviewing the bibliographies of the publications with the snowball method. The significance of systematic reviews is increasing because it is a research method that produces the strongest evidence based on evidence-based practices. A systematic review aims to answer a clinical question or to provide a solution to a problem following a comprehensive review covering all the former works published in that field; uses various inclusion and exclusion criteria and evaluates the quality of the studies in order to determine the works to be included in the review and finally synthesizes the research findings that are included in the review. The research significantly contributes to the literature by revealing the effects of COVID-19 and cyber violence on children's computer addiction.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Gaming Addiction: A type of addiction that manifests with playing computer/video games for a long-time with a lack of self-control over gaming.
Cyber Harassment: It is the general name used for certain crimes, which are classified among the cyber crimes, such as blackmailing the naked images of the individual and rape in live broadcast.
Behavioral Addiction: Behavioral addictions, just like alcohol-substance addictions, appear with the main physical and psychological components of addiction such as mental preoccupation, mood dysregulation, tolerance, withdrawal, interpersonal conflicts, and relapse.
Cyber Tracking/Cyber Stalking: The term “stalking” is also used for following others in the digital environment. The person who carries out the stalking act is called a ‘stalker. The term cyber tracking/stacking is used to describe a variety of behaviors that cause a person to fear or to worry for their safety through repeated threats and/or harassment committed via e-mail and other computer-based communications.
Cyber Exploitation/Sexual Blackmailing: Cyber exploitation, also known as revenge porn, means distributing online sexually explicit photos or videos of another individual without obtaining the consent of the featuring person.
Addiction: Being highly attached to a person, substance, or activity; to become highly accustomed to a behavior that may become problematic over time in a way to cause both psychological and physiological consequences, is hard to quit or that may have positive or negative consequences.
Cyber Violence: Using any technological tool for purposes such as restricting, controlling, disturbing, or humiliating another individual.
Computer Games Addiction: A type of addiction that manifests with playing computer/video games for a long-time with a lack of self-control over gaming and results in excessive irritability, tendency to violence, health problems caused by immobility, decrease in academic success, isolation from daily life, loss of visual ability, monotony, boredom, deficiencies in mental development, lying about playing time.
Cyber Bullying/Cyber Extortion: Bullying someone using digital technologies. This type of bullying may take place on social media, messaging platforms, gaming platforms or mobile phones. It is the repetitive behavior performed to intimidate, anger, or embarrass the targeted persons.
Technology Addiction: It is the emergence of physical, personal, and social problems as a result of the longer, unlimited and excessive use of technology. In brief, technology addiction is defined as the situation where technology grasps the control over people.